Zaun: Bill gives Iowans health insurance options

Help is on the way for the many Iowans who are unable to afford the rising cost of health insurance premiums and do not qualify for coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

A bill that allows the creation of a new health benefit plan as well as a new group health insurance option has cleared the House and received final bipartisan approval in the Senate. It now heads to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ desk.

The collapse of the individual health insurance market due to the Affordable Care Act has wreaked havoc in recent years on consumers. With skyrocketing premiums and a lack of options, many Iowans have reached out to their legislators. Their requests were simple — help. When it appeared Congress could not come to an agreement on how to resolve this issue, myself and others went to work to address the hardships facing nearly 30,000 Iowans.

We began working on several plans to provide Iowans with access to health care. One avenue was to create the health benefit plan for carriers to sell coverage that did not have to meet the ACA requirements since it does not fall into the category of insurance.

The second direction we pursued was an option to allow small businesses and sole proprietors to join forces and work together to create a Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement — a group health insurance plan — rather than rely on the individual market or small group market.

It was rewarding to see this bill pass and head to the governor’s office. This can be very advantageous many Iowans. More important, people should never be forced to choose between affording to buy health insurance or pay for the other necessities of life, which is what many Iowans face as a result of the disaster called Affordable Care Act. The health benefit plan and new group health insurance plans would give Iowans options, which is something they have not had in quite a while.

STATE SEN. BRAD ZAUN, R-Urbandale, represents District 20 in the Iowa Senate, which includes Johnston, parts of Urbandale and Grimes and areas of northern Polk County to Saylorville Lake. He can be reached at brad.zaun@legis.iowa.gov or at the Statehouse at 281-3371.